Aftermath
by sctwilightvampwolfgal
Summary: A heartbroken Rachel raises her son. *Collection of oneshots about Rachel's life after the events of 'Love Knows No Bounds.' Read that first. *Complete.
1. Oneshot 1 The Grave

Rachel watched her son trail his hands over his father's gravestone.

She felt salty tears prick her eyes as Dewei stared, curiously, at his dad's gravestone.

She, quickly, wiped at the tears in her eyes, so that her four year-old wouldn't see them.

She remembered, when he came home from school, and asked her, "Where is my dad?" His teacher had asked the class about their fathers.

It broke her heart to watch her son talked to the gravestone, as if it was a person, that could talk to him.

He said to the grave, "Hi, Daddy!"

She cried, once she heard him say that so cheerfully.

He walked up to her, and asked, "Why are you crying, Mommy? Why won't Daddy say anything to me?"

"I miss your father." She told him, choking on another sob.

"Why? He's right there!" Her son insisted.

"Th-that's his grave. He's dead, honey." She told him.

It pained her to hear him wail, "I miss my daddy, too!"


	2. Oneshot 2 Friends

Rachel found herself a little worried about her son's relationship with Jin.

Both kids were happy to be friends, but Jin's parents, Emperor and Empress Yao, were very protective of their daughter, since Rachel's deceased boy friend kidnapped Jin, so they probably didn't take to kindly to that man's son being their daughter's best friend.

Rachel knew how easily friendship could lead to something more, after all she had fallen in love with her best friend from childhood, who just so happened to be her son's father.

-Flashback-

"Hey, Dewei! Can I give you the name, Kuo Mu Wang as a possible code name?" A younger Rachel asked her best friend.

"Yeah, Why?" Dewei asked her.

"Well, I really like the name." Rachel answered with a blush.

He shrugged, seeming to accept that as an answer.

The name was actually a symbol of her love for Dewei, whether she would ever admit it, or not.

-Present Day-

She couldn't help, but wonder if her son was falling in love with his slightly older friend. (Jin.)


	3. Oneshot 3 A Mother's Worry

Jin was, now, thirteen, but she still came over almost every day.

She was growing in to a beautiful, young lady. Her black hair seemed to be wavier, whether done deliberately or not. Her black eyes, literately, lit up when ever she caught sight of Dewei.

She, always, blushed when Dewei would ask her what she wanted to be when she grows up. Her answer was always the same, "I'm going to rule Xing."

Rachel figured that the bragging was meant to impress Dewei, so that he'd want to marry her.

Jin's crush on Dewei was absolutely adoirable in Rachel's eyes.

Rachel was worried, though, that Dewei would end up like his father, and hurt Jin like his dad had hurt her.

She hoped beyond all hope, that that would not happen, but they reminded her about her, and Dewei when they were little.

She mused, that The Emperor, and his wife, Lan Fan, probably didn't find Jin's crush cute. She was worried that they would try to end Jin's crush, and that that would turn Dewei in to a mirror image of his father.


	4. Oneshot 4 The First Stirrings Of A Crush

A twelve-year old Dewei seemed to return the feelings, that his best friend had had for about three years now.

Dewei seemed to get jealous, easily, when Jin spent time around other people of the male variety, specifically her suitors.

When ever anybody mentioned Princess Jin, Dewei's face would turn bright red.

Jin like always stopped by to play/talk to Dewei, and Dewei's eyes would light up.

He was also very excited to spend time with Jin, when ever she was to come over.

He, sometimes, even stuttered when he talked to The Princess, and the most obvious sign happened a year later when he asked his mother, Rachel, for advice.

"Mom, should I ask Jin out?" He blushed, as he asked the question.

He, also, began to fidget, nervously.

"You probably should." Rachel told him.

"But what if she's disgusted, and doesn't ever want to talk to me again?" Dewei asked.

"That's a big what if." His mother told him.

"So, I should ask her out regardless?" Dewei asked his mom, desperately.

"Yes, you should." Rachel confirmed for him.


	5. Oneshot 5 Meeting Her Father

"Jin, I want to tell you something." Dewei nervously yet sort of formally told his best friend.

"What is it, Dewei?" Princess Jin asked him.

"I like you may be even love you; will you go out with me?" Dewei asked his best friend.

She grinned, widely, "Of course, I'll go out with you."

Naturally, they now had to tell their parents.

* * *

Dewei was terrified of meeting his girl friend's parents.

He didn't think that they would be as accepting as his mother had been.

Rachel had been radiating pure happiness, and had claimed that she knew that this would happen one day.

Dewei was at a loss, as to what to say to The Emperor and Empress; he hadn't even spoken to them before.

"Sit down." The Emperor commanded; anybody would be a fool to say, "No," to any of The Emperor's commands.

Dewei sat down by Jin.

The Emperor stared at them; the stare made Dewei feel that anything that wasn't good or polite would ruin his chances of dating Jin.

The dinner proved to be delicious, and like nothing Dewei had ever had before. He ate it, slowly in an attempt to eat it, politely; all while under The Emperor's scrutinizing gaze.

"What do you want with my daughter?" The Emperor broke the silence.

"I want to spend the rest of my life with your daughter by my side." Dewei told him, trying to slow down his racing heart, so that it wouldn't explode.

"Hmm..." The Emperor mused on that thought.

Dewei wondered, if Emperor Ling Yao thought that he was after the crown.

Dewei wished more than ever to have ran away with Jin.

"The fact that Jin is the heiress to the throne had nothing to do with your relationship?" Emperor Yao asked him.

"It does not, sir." Dewei told Jin's father.

He felt like he'd be scorched, if The Emperor continued to glare at him.


	6. Oneshot 6 Asking For Permission

Dewei knew that he would have to ask The Emperor for Jin's hand in marriage.

He had been dating Jin for a couple years now, but the thought of asking Emperor Yao, if he could marry The Emperor's daughter, scared Dewei.

He, honest to goodness, expected the scary man to tell him, "No."

* * *

"Emperor Yao, will you grant me permission to marry your daughter, Jin Yao?" Dewei Yang was very conscious of his manners around the ruler of his country.

"Why do you want to marry my daughter?" Emperor Yao asked Dewei Yang.

"I love her with all my heart and soul, and I want to one day raise a family with her. I want to grow old with her by my side." Dewei answered him, honestly.

Emperor Ling Yao seemed to reflect on Dewei's answer.

"Do you promise to protect our daughter?" Empress Yao asked Dewei, who had forgotten that she was always around her husband. She doubled as his main bodyguard.

"Yes." Dewei told her, understanding the gravity of the situation.

"May I marry your daughter, your majesty?" Dewei asked the royal parents, again.

Empress Lan Fan told him, "Yes, you may, if you promise to dedicate your life to protecting our daughter."

"I will." He told her, confidently.

"That can only be proven in time." Lan Fan answered him.

Dewei nodded; he was determined to keep that promise, until his last breath was gone.

"I trust you to look after my daughter, to love her, and to never leave her." The Emperor told him.

"I promise to take care of Jin, to always love her, and to never leave her side." Dewei promised; the love reflecting in his eyes could warm any one's heart.

"Never break any of the promises that you have made today." Lan Fan told him.


	7. Oneshot 7 The Proposal

Jin gasped; the restaurant must of cost a fortune for Dewei to take them to.

She glanced toward her boy friend of two years; he looked stunning in his black suit and red tie.

She felt a little nervous; they had never dressed up this much for their dates before.

She was stunned speechless when they were led to a secluded, romantic section.

When the waitress left them alone, Dewei told her, "Order any thing that you want."

"But it would be too expensive for you; any thing would be here." Jin told him, worriedly.

"Don't worry about it; I saved up, and some people gave me more money, so that I could afford it." Dewei informed her.

She blinked in surprise, an glanced down at the menu for the cheapest item.

It took her by surprise, when Dewei didn't order the cheapest food, and when he ordered them some wine.

She attempted to relax, and to not complain about Dewei spending so much money, though she was worried that her boy friend would go broke, and lose his home, and starve.

* * *

The food was wonderful, and the date was going amazingly well for Jin's worry.

Dewei decided that it was now or never. (Or now or his future death by Emperor Ling Yao.)

He dropped down on to one knee, "Jin Yao, I've loved you my whole life, and I don't want to spend a day without you; will you marry me?"

It brought tears to Jin's eyes.

"Yes! I will, Dewei!" Jin cried out, and wrapped her hands around her new fiance's neck.

She kissed him, putting her whole heart and soul in to the kiss.

Dewei slid the ring on Jin's finger after she pulled away.

Jin stared in awe at the enagement ring; it was like everything that she didn't know she wanted. The diamond was as blue as the ocean, and stood a top a beautiful, intricate, silver ring. It was beautiful, but she was worried that it cost Dewei an arm and a leg.

Her thoughts then flew to her father, 'Would he maime Dewei?'

"Does Dad know?" Jin asked, terrified that the answer would be, "No."

"Yeah, I asked him for permission to marry you." Dewei answered, nervously.

"Thank you so much!" Jin squealed, the love and affection held in her eyes and voice melted Dewei's heart.

He obeyed the urge to kiss her. It was the best kiss of Dewei's life.


	8. Oneshot 8 The Wedding

Jin struggled to right the tiara that was on top of her head, and underneath the veil.

She stilled when she felt her mother do it for her.

Her mother, also, made the veil look exactly right.

Princess Jin Yao was about to become Princess Jin Yang.

Her heart was rcing in her chest; her mind was catologing all that could go wrong. Dewei could leave her, or she could have a heart attack, and die.

She really wanted to do this right; that's why she planned excessively, and practiced millions of times.

She was getting married in front of all of Xing; it was a scary, and nerve wracking experience.

She glanced back to the mirror, and she could see absolute terror in her eyes; make up, and a pretty dress couldn't hide that.

"Everything will be alright after all you love Dewei, right? Just focus on him, and the crowd goes away." Lan Fan told her, causing her to remember that her mom had done this once too. Her mother had left the safety of the shadows to marry her father.

She figured that that would be worse; it would be much more terrifying. Her mother definately wasn't one to want to stand out in a crowd; her mother had been raised to be an invisible ninja. She was still The Emperor's main guard, after all.

Jin had been raised to be a princess, or an heiress. Jin had been raised to be seen, and had stood in front of Xing a lot in her young life.

Having that put in to perspective, made it seem less awful.

Her mother left the room, and her father came in.

"Shall we?" He asked, referring to walking his little princess (Literally!) down the aisle.

She nodded, pushing away her nervousness, and worked up the confidence to stride up to her father to allow him to walk her down the aisle.

Just seeing Dewei standing at the altar, alleviated her fears, and made butterflies attack her stomach.

She was thrilled that he hadn't ditched her, and he became her main focus. She didn't see the rest of Xing. Her eyes stayed on her groom.

It was a truly beautiful moment when they were officially married by two simple, little words, "I do."

It was,also a beautiful moment when they kissed for the first time as a married couple.

It felt absolutely magical for them, and for the guest that were watching them.


End file.
